Falling Apart
by FanFicCrazy16
Summary: After her husband Henry dies, cardiothoracic surgeon Teddy Altman resigns from the hospital and falls into a deep pit of despair. Warning: Eating Disorder
1. Chapter 1

**My first Grey's Anatomy fanfic. Just a little one-shot—what if Teddy had never recovered from Henry's death and left the hospital? It is depressing, so just a warning that if you want to read something happy, I'd suggest finding a different story.**

**I hope you all enjoy and thank you so much for reading!**

**Falling Apart**

Cardiothoracic surgeon Teddy Altman struggled to catch her breath, shaky hands fumbling to turn the faucet off. She was doubled over, face as pale as a ghost. Lifting her head up to see her reflection in the mirror, she let out a shocked gasp.

_**It **_had made her face pale with a yellow tinge; marked dark circles under her eyes and made her once lively irises dull; left her hair limp and stringy; chapped her lips; and ate away bits of her body and soul every single minute.

_**It **_was destroying her, making her nothing of the person she used to be.

Feeling dizzy, Teddy slowly walked from the bathroom to her bedroom, climbing back under the covers to warm her chilled body. She curled herself into a tiny ball as a way to shrink away from the world.

She reflected on her past—her days in the military, her ex-friend Owen Hunt and her ex-student Dr. Yang, her experiences at Seattle Grace Mercy West, and the events that led up to her resignation… the death of her beloved husband, Henry, and Owen's betrayal.

Her stomach clenched in pain and hunger, yet she did absolutely nothing to satiate it. She knew what her illness was called: an _eating disorder_.

The ex-surgeon shuddered at the diagnosis she knew about but kept secret. She had helped many patients in her past that suffered from eating disorders and were therefore experiencing heart complications. She had seen firsthand the horrors that arose from such an illness.

_But it's my body… nothing will ever bring me peace… Henry will always be gone, _thought Teddy.

The rapid weight loss was only made more noticeable by her already slender frame, and as a result of this, she never left her house.

It had been three months since she quit her job at the hospital. At first, her friends and colleagues had spent days trying to get her back, but when they realized their efforts had no impact, they all stopped dropping by to see her. A few of them, however, did continue to contact her by phone and email, though these she ignored.

Teddy knew that in all likelihood either Callie Torres or Arizona Robbins would check up on her in person, most likely in a week or so. They would freak out when they saw her significant weight loss, probably drag her to the hospital to get her checked out.

Yet she attempted to block out everything else in the entire world, shaking under the covers as sobs for her deceased husband racked her small frame. Feelings of grief, loneliness, worthlessness, fatigue, and depression all took over.

How could she go on…?

It was just her and her eating disorder.

**Once again, thank you for reading! It really means a lot to me. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi everyone, I'd just like to take the time to apologize for my long absence. There've been many things going on lately such as testing, travel, hospital stays, etc. within about the past two months. I know it's not an excuse, and I'm truly sorry. I have not stopped writing any of my stories, and I hope you all will still find enjoyment in reading them. Thank you for your patience as well as reading this.**

**~FanFicCrazy16**

The following day Teddy woke up in the midafternoon, her stomach clenching in hunger. An excruciating headache took hold and her heart seemed to pound in her chest. _Deep breaths, _she thought to herself. _You're okay. _

After untangling herself from her heap of blankets, Teddy turned off the space heater beside her bed. Shuffling over to her closet she rummaged through articles of clothing. The doctor changed into thick sweatpants, a turtleneck with a hoodie layered over it, wool socks, and a thin headband to keep her ears warm.

She slowly but surely made her way into the kitchen, but instead of grabbing food, she sipped at a glass of water. She ignored the rumbles in the pit of her stomach, an angry monster bellowing from deep within a cave.

Just as the surgeon sat down on one of the stools in the breakfast nook, a fist pounded on the door.

"Teddy? It's me, Arizona!"

Teddy felt like she was a spinning top. She was so weak due to malnourishment and dehydration, yet she felt that she deserved to suffer. After all, she hadn't been there for Henry, instead operating on another patient. In a way, he died alone. She could care less if her anorexia harmed her body or was fatal.

"Teddy! Come on, open up… Please! We really need to talk. You can't just keep ignoring everyone. We all care about you!" Teddy heard Arizona release a desperate sigh. "I know you're home… I'm not leaving until I see you."

Knowing how stubborn the peppy pediatric surgeon was, Teddy unfolded herself from the stool, put her glass in the sink, and thought about letting her friend in. Truth be told, she didn't want to shut her friends out, but by doing so, she wouldn't be as much of a burden to them. They shouldn't have to deal with her pain and sorrow. It wouldn't be fair to them.

"If you don't open up this door in the next thirty seconds, I'll break it down! I'm really concerned, Teddy!"

_She wouldn't dare, _thought Teddy. _Then again…_

Thinking about her options, Teddy sighed in defeat and made her way to the door. Arizona Robbins was just preparing to break down the barrier as the door in front of her swung open.

Arizona looked at the woman made of skin and bones standing awkwardly in the entryway. Gasping in shock before she could stop herself, she realized that the woman was her best friend and colleague.

"Oh my gosh, Teddy… what happened?"

**As always, thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

"_Oh my gosh, Teddy… what happened?"_

Arizona had stood there for a moment, still as a board. Snapping out of her shock, she stepped into the apartment and closed the door. She surveyed her friend from head to toe, feeling immediate concern for the state Teddy was in.

"Why don't we go over to the couch. I'll grab us a snack and tea," suggested Arizona. She had had experience caring for children struggling with eating disorders throughout her career, and her doctor radar knew Teddy was in trouble.

"No, that's okay. I'm not really hungry…" Teddy's soft voice replied. She was sure Arizona could hear the weak tremble as she spoke. "Let's just talk."

Arizona wrapped an arm around her friend's waist, offering support as they walked. She could feel Teddy shaking, hear her breathing accelerate. She slowly lowered Teddy down onto the couch and then sat down herself.

"I was thinking about redecorating the place sometime. Maybe more of a modern style. It seems a little too family friendly, don't you think?"

Arizona bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from badgering Teddy to explain her current situation. She made a mental note to wait before getting into the serious talk and instead decided to go along with Teddy. "Yeah, I guess. Maybe I could help pick out some of the furniture, paint the walls, that type of thing…"

Teddy shrugged and looked down at her hands. Arizona noticed how dark the room was, the closed blinds shutting out the sun. Even though the weather report said it was 72 degrees outside, the heat was turned on.

"Hey, I'll be right back. I just have to take care of something really quick…" said Teddy.

"Alright." Arizona watched her friend disappear into her bedroom. Taking the opportunity to gain some insight into Teddy's situation, the pediatric attending quietly headed to the kitchen. Looking through the fridge and pantry, she discovered that the amount of food was sparse, definitely not enough to last even three days on.

Hearing Teddy cough, Arizona walked back to the living room, barely making it to the couch before Teddy came back.

"Sorry about that. So, what's up?"

"Teddy, I need you to be honest with me. When was the last time you ate anything?" asked Arizona, blue eyes softening with compassion.

"Um, yesterday morning… none of it really stayed down," replied Teddy. "I'm fine, though. Really. It's probably just the flu or something, you know?"

"Teddy. We're doctors; I know there's something major going on with you right now. Please talk to me. I'm here for you, always. You know that, right?"

Teddy sighed nervously. "I know that, but it's not fair for me to push my problems on you. I can't be a burden…"

"I'll always help you with whatever you need. I _want_ to help you, but you need to let me in, okay?"

Silence settled between the two women.

Suddenly, Teddy looked Arizona in the eyes and confirmed her friend's suspicions, admitting, "I have anorexia. Most likely depression, too."

**Thank you for reading. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, how's it going? I'm sorry it's been a while, but now I have a little more free time on my hands, so hopefully I'll be able to update my stories more often. **

**Thank you all for reading and your comments! I hope you all enjoy chapter four!**

Falling Apart: Chapter 4

"_Teddy, I need you to be honest with me. When was the last time you ate anything?" asked Arizona, blue eyes softening with compassion._

_"Um, yesterday morning… none of it really stayed down," replied Teddy. "I'm fine, though. Really. It's probably just the flu or something, you know?"_

_"Teddy. We're doctors; I know there's something major going on with you right now. Please talk to me. I'm here for you, always. You know that, right?"_

_Teddy sighed nervously. "I know that, but it's not fair for me to push my problems on you. I can't be a burden…"_

_"I'll always help you with whatever you need. I want to help you, but you need to let me in, okay?"_

_Silence settled between the two women. _

_Suddenly, Teddy looked Arizona in the eyes and confirmed her friend's suspicions, admitting, "I have anorexia. Most likely depression, too."_

* * *

><p>Teddy broke eye contact with Arizona, embarrassed by her confession. She was furious with herself. <em>Why in the world did I just say that? I'm an idiot, a complete idiot! <em>thought Teddy.

Before she knew it her resolve crumbled into a million little pieces.

"Oh god!" she wailed.

"C'mere, Sweetie. I've got you," soothed Arizona. She gently encircled her arms around the frail blonde. She was relieved that her friend accepted the physical contact instead of pushing her away.

For an hour they sat there, Arizona comforting her wailing colleague.

As soon as Teddy's cries ceased, Arizona began to talk to her. "This is nothing to feel ashamed of Teddy, you did nothing wrong. What you're feeling, well, those feelings can be worked through. You're going to get better. I can't promise that it won't take a lot of work, but I have faith in you; you can do this. And you won't be alone, I'll be with you every step of the way, Callie too. We'll get through this together. I'll take you to the hospital, we can get you some h-"

"No."

It was almost inaudible, it was so softly spoken. Arizona wasn't even sure she heard right.

"But Ted-"

"I said no."

A little louder now. Teddy spoke loudly and forcefully enough to convey to the pediatrician that _she did not need help._

Arizona was completely baffled by now. Letting out a shaky breath she composed herself and gave her friend one of her famous Robbins smiles, hoping her dimples would do the trick. "Teddy, c'mon, we should get you to the hospital. You'll be fine, let's go."

"I SAID NO!" the cardiothoracic surgeon yelled, shaking her head in refusal. "Just leave, Arizona. You're not needed here."

Arizona fought to keep her tears at bay. She walked over to where Teddy's keys sat on an end table, retrieved the apartment key, and continued toward the door.

"Call me when you're ready to face all this," Arizona pleaded, voice breaking.

Teddy broke down once again after the departure of her friend and the slammed door.

**Sorry, I know this chapter was short, but I just thought it seemed best this way. **

**Thank you for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

**So, I felt that a little venting moment was needed between Callie and Arizona, or at least the first of more moments that will be coming in later chapters. Enjoy!**

"I just don't know what to do, Calliope. She's so stubborn, and she's scared, you know how she is. I really wish she'd let us help her..." said Arizona.

Callie nodded at her wife and enveloped her in a hug.

"You should have seen her. I mean, I knew it had to be bad, but it's so much worse than any of us thought! She not only has depression and is grieving, but she has _anorexia_. Anorexia, Calliope."

"Wait, _what?_" Callie's gasped out before she could compose herself. Even though she felt worried about Teddy before, she was now completely terrified for her friend. "Explain. Are you sure?"

"Yes, Calliope, I'm positive. She told me herself. Even if she hadn't admitted it, I checked her kitchen while she was taking care of something, and there was hardly any food in there. Plus, I've seen eating disorders in some of my tiny humans before, and Teddy has the same physical symptoms, at least from what I could tell."

Callie chewed on her lip, pondering over the new information.

"Well, Ari, we'll figure something out, I promise. Teddy needs help, and we'll make sure she gets it. Okay?"

"But what? What can we do? I've tried talking to her, all of us at the hospital have. I think the only reason she let me inside her apartment today was because I threatened to break down her door!"

"How about this? We're both tired; we need our rest if we're going in at five tomorrow morning. We'll sleep and then go to work. I know you get off at five pm, but I don't get off until six. Once my shift ends, I'll meet you back here, and then we'll head over to Teddy's, talk to her some more. Okay? And if she doesn't let us in, we'll just threaten to break down that door again. How's that sound, Sweetheart?"

Arizona sniffled and let out a brief smile at Callie's reference to breaking down the door. "Alright, but we won't need to be the cause of any broken doors. I took her apartment key before I left and made a copy before I came here."

The women hugged, Arizona finally feeling that maybe, just maybe, they could get Teddy the help that she deserved.

* * *

><p>Not long after Arizona's departure, Teddy crashed on the couch, too tired to make her way back to her bedroom.<p>

_Why do I always hurt everyone close to me? s_he wondered as her eyes drooped shut.

**Thanks for reading and for all of the support, story alerts, and reviews!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, fellow fanfiction writers and readers! This chapter focuses mainly on Callie and Arizona as well as some of the other attendings. There is no Teddy, but the next chapter should revolve around her. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

The following workday felt like it was dragging in both Arizona's and Callie's minds. Fortunately for Callie, she had a few surgeries to focus her attention toward. Arizona, however, had no surgeries. Her schedule consisted of rounds, paperwork, and followup appointments.

_Gosh, _Arizona thought, _when will this shift end!_

As her stomach rumbled in protest, Arizona realized that her lunch was long past overdue. Sighing, she finished up one of her charts and made her way down to the cafeteria.

"Robbins, wait up!"

Arizona turned to face the voice. She was already wound up and anxious for her visit to Teddy's later, and when she saw Mark Sloan, her sour mood worsened.

"What now, Mark?" she snapped.

"Woah there. Peppy peds surgeon all pissed off? I thought you were supposed to be all sunshine and rainbows," Mark replied with a smirk. "I guess it's a good thing I have Sofia tonight."

As the two doctors grabbed their lunches and paid, Arizona took a few deep breaths.

"Sorry, Mark, it's just that I have a lot on my mind at the moment," Arizona said with a small smile. Mark led the way over to a table where attendings Shepherd, Bailey, and Webber sat.

As greetings and pleasantries were exchanged, Arizona fought to maintain her bubbly demeanor, but as the normal conversations ensued, she couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"I saw Teddy yesterday..."

Her colleagues turned to her in surprise, each one giving her their full attention. Arizona looked down at her lap, surprised at her outburst.

"Well, what happened? How did you even see her? She's been turning everyone away. The last time I saw her in person was at Henry's funeral three months ago," Derek inquired. He could tell that his colleague never meant to bring the subject up, but he wanted answers, and he would stop at nothing to get them.

"Well, I went to check up on her as usual. I guess on the drive over I came to the resolution that I wasn't going to leave until I actually saw her," Arizona admitted.

"But how did you see her in person? She never answers her door. We've tried everything," Bailey said.

"Have you tried violence?" Arizona responded as Mark scoffed. "Seriously, you've all been walking on eggshells when it comes to Teddy. I did the same thing except I became tired of being gentle. After pounding at her door relentlessly and then threatening to break it down, she let me in."

"Didn't know you had it in you, Robbins," Mark joked.

Richard Webber, after sending a glare Mark's way, prompted, "So... how was she?"

The blonde sighed. "Not too well..."

Just as Derek was about to ask another question, the discussion was interrupted by shrieking pagers. Both Derek and Mark immediately made their way to the pit for an emergency.

Richard lowered his voice to just above a whisper and asked, "Could you elaborate on that?"

"Teddy's been taking things harder than any of us originally thought. I'm warning you that what I'm about to tell you is extremely serious, and at the moment, I need you two to keep this to yourselves. Okay?"

After Bailey and Richard nodded their heads in agreement, Arizona continued her explanation.

"Her depression I could tell was fairly severe, but that wasn't my most startling observation. She's pretty ill physically, and she had almost no food in the pantry. After I talked to her for a while, she told me that she's suffering from anorexia. When I tried convincing her to let me take her here for treatment, she threw a fit."

The air crackled with an awkward silence as no one knew what to say next.

"Maybe we should call 9-1-1," Bailey finally suggested, worry and concern for Teddy etched in her features.

"No, not yet," Arizona shook her head. "Calliope and I are heading over to Teddy's tonight to try and talk to her about admission to the hospital. I really hope she'll listen this time and take our advice. If she refuses again, then we'll consider other options."

"Okay. Well, I suppose we all should get back to work. Keep us posted, Dr. Robbins?" Richard asked.

"Of course. And remember, this stays between us and Calliope for now."

* * *

><p>After finishing her shift at the hospital, Arizona Robbins rushed back to her apartment to find Callie in the kitchen.<p>

"How's my favorite peds surgeon?" Callie asked with a grin. Her heart fluttered as she made eye contact with her beautiful blue-eyed wife.

"Why hello to you to, Calliope," the petite blonde responded before leaning in for a kiss. "I'm scared, what if she becomes all upset again?"

Callie immediately knew what her wife was worrying about. "Everything will be okay, Ari, we'll get her the help she needs. Even if we have to forcefully step in, although I hope not, she will get better. I'm almost done with dinner, so why don't you go change and then we'll eat. We'll go to see Teddy right after, okay?"

"Sounds great. I love you, my gorgeous Calliope."

"I love you too, Ari."

**Thank you for reading!**

**If anyone has any experience with the process of admitting a patient with an eating disorder that they woudn't mind sharing, I would love to learn more about the basics through either PM or reviews. I'd like to have Teddy's experience as realistic as possible, and the only information I know is through research. If anyone would be able to help me out in any way, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you so much.**

**~FanFicCrazy16**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, sorry it's been a while since I've updated. I'm taking quite a few summer courses and have other obligations, so I'm not able to write and update as much as I've been wanting to. :(**

**Thank you for all of the support with this story. I hope you all enjoy!**

Callie and Arizona ate their dinner in mostly silence, except for the occasional comment about their adorable daughter or various surgeries both performed and to come. They had thoughts of Teddy on their minds.

Arizona kept thinking that their visit that evening would upset Teddy even more. What else could she think? The cardiothoracic surgeon was beyond stubborn at times, and Arizona had no idea how to even begin to pop Teddy's depressive bubble. So many walls had been built, how in the world were the Seattle Grace Mercy West surgeons supposed to tear those walls down?

Callie, on the other hand, felt optimistic. Sure, Teddy never openly asked for help, but Callie was very persuasive when she wanted to be. How else was she able to convince Arizona to go on a camping trip with her the previous summer? This would work, and she felt confident. Teddy just had to process what had happened the night before with Arizona. Perhaps the presence of the concerned married couple would make Teddy open up more.

After rinsing off their dishes and setting them off to the side of the sink, Callie went to grab her leather jacket.

"You ready?" Callie asked.

"As ready as I think I'll ever be, Calliope..."

Arizona and Callie stood in front of Teddy's door, both quite anxious for the upcoming conversation.

* * *

><p>"Ari, you have the keys?" Callie questioned in a whisper.<p>

"Yep. I just hope we don't need to use them," Arizona responded. Taking a deep breath, she raised her fist to the door and called out, "Teddy, Calliope and I are here! We want to make sure you're okay!"

Silence ensued, so quiet that a bread crumb hitting the floor could be heard.

"Teddy, please open up! I'm sorry for leaving last night like I did. Please, Teddy, I need to make sure you're okay."

Callie's concern grew as there was no response, and she couldn't stand to see her beautiful wife so distressed.

"Arizona and I have your apartment key. We're coming in!" Callie yelled, the panic evident in her voice.

Callie took the keys out of her wife's pocket and searched for the one belonging to Teddy's apartment. It wasn't a difficult task; the apartment key had a design of little scalpels and hearts.

Now entering a completely dark apartment, the couple flipped some lights on while calling out Teddy's name. They knew she had to be home and was probably hiding from them.

As Callie checked the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom, her worry increased. Where was Teddy?

The sudden, shrill scream made Callie's blood run cold. The sound was inhuman, she hardly recognized it as her gentle wife's voice.

"CALLIOPE! COME HERE NOW! I'M IN THE BEDROOM!"

Callie sprinted to the opposite end of the apartment, bursting through the bedroom doorway.

The sight before her was a visual that would forever haunt her...

**Sorry, I know it's a cliffhanger. :( But hopefully I'll be able to write and post the next chapter within the next few days. **

**Thank you for reading! Constructive criticism welcome. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello my fellow readers and writers! Thank you for all of the support on this story. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter (even though it's not the greatest subject). **

**crayolakid0413- Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you brought that up. That's good advice for not only my current stories, but for future ones as well. I've set myself a starting goal of trying to make each chapter at least a minimum of 1,200-1,500 words. Hopefully the word count will increase as I keep writing. Thank you. :)**

* * *

><p>"Oh my gosh, Ari!"<p>

"Calliope... CALLIOPE TORRES! I need you to listen to me. _Now,_" Arizona pleaded, hoping her wife would snap out of her frozen panic. She grabbed Teddy's wrist to search for a pulse while silently commanding Callie's chocolate eyes to meet her own. "_Calliope._"

"Uh, y-yeah. Yeah. W-what d-do you n-need me to do?" Callie sputtered out, desperation evident on her trembling frame.

"Get out your cell, okay? I need you to call 9-1-1..."

Callie pulled out her cell phone, willing her hands to stop shaking. Taking a deep breath, she dialed the three digits, watching as Arizona's fingers moved to the collapsed blonde's neck.

_"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"_

"Um, our friend, she c-collapsed. My wife is with her, we're d-doctors. I don't know w-what's h-happening though. Something's t-terribly wrong!"

_"Okay, I need you to take a deep breath. What is your name?"_

"C-Callie. Callie Torres."

_"Help will be arriving soon, Callie. What is your location?"_

As Callie continued speaking to the operator, she watched Arizona examine their friend.

"_Damn it!_" Arizona hissed. Removing her fingers from Teddy's neck, she checked her airway, finally moving on to compressions.

Within three minutes help had arrived. Both women sighed in relief when they heard the paramedics come crashing through the front door of the apartment.

"We're in here!" Callie yelled before turning back to the operator to notify him that the paramedics had arrived.

"Pulse is very weak and thready, I could barely feel it. Her heartbeat is faint and slow," Arizona reported, backing away from her friend to let the paramedics do their jobs. "She is most likely suffering from anorexia, and I don't think she's eaten in the past few days."

The paramedics finished assessing the scene and prepared Teddy for transport. Arizona left with the two paramedics carrying her friend out; she would be riding along in the ambulance. The third EMT gave Callie a quick pat on shoulder before racing out of the apartment after the others.

_How could this have happened? _Callie thought as she slid down the wall she was using for support, sobs exploding out of her as what felt like her entire world came crashing down.

* * *

><p>The shift that night in Seattle Grace Mercy West's emergency room was a slow, calm one if anything. The only patients the doctors and nurses had worked with so far were the standard sprains, cuts, fevers, and the occasional drunk or two.<p>

Miranda Bailey let out a long sigh, laced with exhaustion, before taking a sip of her espresso. While she usually didn't mind the extra night shift in the ER, tonight was one of those nights where all she wanted was to kick back in her recliner at home and nurse a tall glass of wine. She missed little Tuck; he was with his father for the week. If only she could get a bear hug from her little cub; maybe then she wouldn't be so down.

"Dr. Bailey, there's an incoming ambulance. Should be here in three."

Bailey nodded and quickly thanked the nurse before hustling out to the ambulance bay in anticipation. The beginning of her shift might have been slow, but that was exactly just what it was: the beginning. Sensing that her night would soon become hectic, she couldn't help but be thankful for the two cups of coffee she had just downed. She needed all the caffeine she could get.

As the sound of sirens filled the air, Bailey motioned at the residents waiting with her to prepare themselves.

The ambulance came screaming around the corner and pulled into the bay, coming to a stop near the emergency doors. A young man, approximately twenty-five years old, jumped out of the vehicle.

"What have we got?" questioned Bailey, completely professional.

"Roughly forty years old, female, collapsed in her apartment most likely due to complications from anorexia. Pulse is weak and thready, heartbeat is faint and slow, BP is dangerously low. There's also evidence of bradycardia."

"Alright, let's get her started on treatment. Let's move, people!"

It wasn't until Bailey focused her attention back on the gurney that she realized her new patient was one of her colleagues. Eyes widening in surprise, she looked up to see Arizona Robbins jumping out of the ambulance, face pale. "I'm so sorry, Miranda..."

* * *

><p>Callie slowed down her breathing, focusing all of her remaining energy on taking deep breaths. An occasional hiccup would escape.<p>

Smiling to herself, she remembered the first time she had broken down in front of her gorgeous wife. She had had a horrible surgery one day; a seemingly healthy 9-year-old boy getting his leg fracture repaired had coded on the table and couldn't be revived. Afterward she had continued on to meet Arizona for their date at an Italian restaurant. As soon as she took her seat from across the blue-eyed beauty, tears started pouring out of her eyes. Arizona came around to comfort the distressed Latina, glaring at any and all onlookers. As she finally calmed down, she started hiccuping. Face beet red with embarrassment, Arizona laughed and pointed out how cute she thought the hiccups were.

Snapping out of her flashback, Callie took in her surroundings and remembered why she had started sobbing in the first place. Her friend's life was in danger, and she made a promise to herself that she would save Teddy, help her get her life back.

Wiping her eyes, Callie stood up with a newfound strength and courage. She _would _save her friend's life, no matter what she might have to do.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading. I'll hopefully have the time to post another chapter in a day or two, it all depends on schooling and a possible vacation my dad might be taking me on this week to the International Museum of Surgical Sciences in Chicago.<strong>

**I'd also like to say that any errors as far as anything medical are my fault. You don't learn much about medicine when you're only a sophomore in high school. However, I'm doing a lot of research on anorexia and treatment, so hopefully Teddy's illness in the story will be pretty accurate.**

**~FanFicCrazy16**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I honestly don't quite know where to begin, but words cannot describe how sincerely sorry I am for not updating this story in months. I won't go into the long details of my absence, but I am back now and am determined to see this story through to its finish. It's especially difficult to have to wait for an update after a major cliff hanger. Once again, my sincerest apologies and thank you for all of you who have stayed with me, it means a lot.**

_Beep... beep... beep..._

The woman slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly at the ceiling lights. She kept hearing a persistent beeping sound and it was quickly getting on her nerves. Disoriented, she took in her surroundings, confused as to where she was.

_God, someone shut that beeping up! s_he thought. Then it finally hit her as the fog in her head ebbed away; it was a heart monitor, a sound that she heard constantly back in her days of practicing surgery. She let out a groan, realizing that she was in a hospital.

"Teddy. Oh, thank god!"

Teddy whipped her head over to the door in a panic, searching for the owner of that voice. Within a matter of seconds, her hospital bed was repositioned into a sitting position and gentle arms encased her frail frame.

"Shh, shh, it's okay," the voice soothed. Teddy wondered what was happening? Who was wailing, making sounds similar to that of a wild animal? She then realized it was herself.

"Arizona?" Teddy asked, letting out a cough. Her throat felt quite sore. "What happened?"

"Callie and I went to see you at your apartment last week. We were concerned, we had to check up on you. However, you wouldn't answer the door at all. When we got to you... oh, sweetie..."

Arizona let out a shaky breath, thinking about how much she should tell her friend.

"Callie called for an ambulance. We were so afraid that we were too late, and after all, we almost were. I'm just so glad to finally see you awake."

"Wait... how long was I out for? What else has been done?"

"Miranda will be in here soon to check up on you with your other doctors. They'll explain everything."

"No, I'm not waiting. Give me my chart. I want my chart," Teddy demanded, immediately upset. She was humiliated and could feel her control slipping away.

"Teddy..."

"You know what? Just leave! It's your fucking fault that I'm in this predicament anyway."

Nodding in resignation, Arizona complied. "I'll page your doctors. Just remember, I'll be here when you need me. Calliope, too. Please, get better." With that, the blonde left.

* * *

><p>After seeing her best friend leave, Teddy immediately felt a few tears leak out of her eyes. <em>What have I just done? <em>she thought. The past few months she had done nothing but push those who were closest to her away. She knew it was wrong, she knew she was not being herself. But she was just so distraught over Henry's death. Never did she think that true love, a love she had never expected, would be taken away from her so soon.

She pressed her bed remote and lowered herself back into a sleeping position. _Perhaps I can just sleep this nightmare away..._

A few hours later, the former surgeon stirred from her troubled sleep when she felt prodding fingers on her abdomen.

"What are you doing? Go away," she groaned.

"So that's how your gonna talk to me after ignoring me for all this time?" Miranda Bailey responded.

Teddy stayed silent once she realized who was examining her.

"Now, I'm just glad you opened those pretty little eyes of yours. I'm glad that you kept fighting," Bailey continued. "You may not think so now, but you have courage, Altman, and things will get better." She stared at her former colleague until Teddy finally made eye contact. She was sure she saw a few unshed tears in Teddy's eyes. Seeing this, Bailey's demeanor softened a bit and she gazed at her friend in concern.

Although she was touched, Teddy refused to get rid of her tough exterior. A crack in her tough exterior meant no control. "Just update me on my medical status, alright?"

Bailey hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not to wait for the other health professionals working Teddy's case. However, she decided that getting Teddy up-to-speed on her condition would probably gain more trust between the two of them; after all, Teddy had a long road ahead of her for her recovery, and Bailey would be there every step of the way.

Taking a deep breath, Bailey nodded. "Eight days ago, you were brought to our emergency room unconscious in the middle of the night. You were barely breathing, and you went into cardiac arrest during the ambulance ride over. You were in horrible shape; during our assessment we discovered that you needed surgery on your bowel, and you crashed once again on the table. After surgery we transferred you to the intensive care unit.

"While there, we ran some further tests on you. Your blood tests came back showing numerous vitamin deficiencies and other nutritional imbalances. We've alternated between different intravenous treatments and a feeding tube as a result."

Bailey stared at her patient while telling her about her hospital stay, hoping she would once again make eye contact with her. However, Teddy refused to make eye contact, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Making a quick decision, Teddy attempted to rip the unwanted IV out of her arm only to realize that she was in restraints. She looked up into the concerned but sorrowful eyes of her colleague.

"I'm so sorry, Teddy, but it's for your own good," Bailey responded.

"Get it out. NOW! I. Don't. Want. It!"

"Unfortunately, that's not going to happen," said a new voice.

Glancing to the open door, Teddy saw two women enter the room. Only when they sat in some open chairs near the bed did they introduce themselves.

"I'm Dr. Blake, the psychiatrist who's been on your case," said a short woman with long brunette hair. She seemed welcoming enough to Teddy; however, she tensed when she heard that Dr. Blake was a psychiatrist.

The other woman scooted her chair closer to Teddy and began checking the IV. She then started recording the information on the numerous monitors connected to her patient and introduced herself. "Hello, Teddy. I'm Dr. Anderson. I specialize in eating disorders and am lead on your case with Dr. Bailey."

"You're not needed here. Both of you. I'm not mental, and I don't have an eating disorder. Go."

Bailey and Anderson looked at each other, having a silent conversation.

"Now, Teddy, please cooperate with us. I have some other patients to check up on, but I'll come back in a little while. At the moment, Dr. Anderson and Dr. Blake are going to examine you and ask you some questions. We only want what's best for you," Bailey said and handed Teddy's chart to Dr. Anderson before leaving the room.

_As if. I guess it's showtime, _Teddy thought, having every intention to make her doctors miserable.

**Thanks for reading! I hope to have the next chapter up in about a week, it all depends on my schedule. It's a busy time at school with AP testing currently taking place and school newspaper deadlines to fulfill.**


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